Tile-machine.



No. 859,287. PATENTED JULY 9, 190?.

I G. FERGUSON.

TILE MACHINE.

APPLIUATION FILED FEB. B, 1907.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

PATENTED JULY 9. 1907.

G. FERGUSON. .TILE MACHINE- APPLIdATION FILED THE. 8, 1907 No. 855L287.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

man/507 7 0 9 11 9 Y L U J E T N E T A P M 1 H G A HM E L GI TAPPLICATION FILED FEB. 8, 1907. v

3 SHEETS-SHEET -3.

wij t xease s Unrrnn s'rsrss GEORGE FERGUSON, OF WATERLOU, lOWA.

TILE -MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 9, 1907.

Application filed February 8, 1907. Serial No. 356,331.

To allwhom it may concern:

in it known that 1, Greece Faun usox,a citizen of the United States,residing at Waterloo, in the county oi lllackhawk and State of Iowa,have invented certain new and useiul improvements in Til hlz1(tlllllt$,oi which the iollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to the manufacture oi tile irom concrete or thelike celnentitious material; and has for its object to produce a machinewhereby such tile may be perfectly and rapidly iormed by nearlyautomatic operations.

The invention embodiesan organized machine for producing cement tile andembraces as one oi its more essential i natures a peculiar head forforming and'linislring the interior oi the tile.

The iull nature oi the invention will clearly appear in thespecification and claims following, by reierence to the accompanyingdrawings in which Figure l is a side elevation oi a machine embodying myimprovements. Fig. 2 is a iront view oi the same. Fig. 3 is a plan Viewoi the same below the line (1-!) in Fig. 1 Fig. 4 is a sectional detailshowing the mold and the iorining head as in the operation oi making thetile. Fig. 5 is a plan view illustrating the annular rim or palletthrough which the material is deposited with in the mold. Fig. 6 is asection of the iorming head. Fig. 7 is a plan view oi the same as seeniromabove. Fig. 8 shows a modification oi the same.

The machine is; designed to take a plastic material commonly linowu asconcrete or the like, and by a combined pressing and rubbing operation,in connection with a suitable mold, to produce a tubular structure whichon drying becomes a peric ct tile. The machine will now be described asiollows:

In the drawings is shown a suitable irame comprising a sill 1,preicrably mounted upon a concrete base 2 and provided with uprightposts 3 and 4 at the front and rear respectively; these are connected bysuitable cross beams 5 and 6 and about this irame work the metal partsare suitably mounted, as will be described presently. At the front ofthe machine is mounted a suitable bed plate 7, preferably of iron,adapted to form a stable support ior the tile mold 8 which conforms tothe exterior of the tile. This mold is supposed to part: into halves,but this feature I have not thought necessary to illustrate as it is ofsimple and Well known construction. When in operative position the moldstands in a shallow recess 9 in a carrier 10 which is mounted to slidebackand forth on a cross head 11. Preferably the carrier should ride onrollers 12 as shown, but need not necessarily, and in Fig. 5 it is shownresting on side ledges 13 of the cross head. The carrier is arranged toslide sidewise in either direction a distance somewhat more than thediameter of them'old, so that When-a tile has been iormed and finishedit is slid side-wise out oi the path oi the iormerand may be removed bythe operator and another mold put into its place; the movement oi theslide or carrier then reverses, bringing the new mold into operativeposition with respect to the ioriner and discharging the linished moldon the other side, as clearly shown in Fig. 5. The construction is suchthat the operator may stand close to his work in hunt and within easyreach oi the molds, the shiiting oi which is the only manual laborconnected with the inn-.

.chine, except that oi supplying the plastic material to the molds. Themechanism by which this carrier is moved back and iorth will bedescribed presently. The cross head is mounted to slide up and down onguides 14. The ends oi the cross head connect by links 15 with a pair oilong lovers to pivoted at 17 and 0peratedby the revolution oi cranks 18,the Wrists of which move in slots '1 E! as clearly shown in Fig. 1. Thecranks 18 are connected at each end of a shaft 20 which is provided witha worm-gear 21 operated by a worm 22 on a shalt 23 provided with thedrivingand idle pulleys 24; the other end oi this shaft is provided witha pair of pinions 25 and 26 which respectively engage gears 2. and 28 ofdiiierent diameters. The former oi these gears is attached to a'tubularshaft 29, to the lower end of which is connected one portion of theforming head soon to be described. The other gear 28 connects with ashaft 30 running through said tubular shaft and having the other portionof the forming head attaohizl to its lower end; these shaits arejournaled in a bracket bearing 31 secured to cross-beams 32 connecting.the posts 3. The effect of this construction, as will be evident, is togive differing rotary movemcntitdgthe two parts of the head and thisdifierential movement is of the highest importance as regards the workper? iormec-l by the head. Referring now to Figs. 4 t0 8, theconstruction ofi'this head will be clearly seen; the part 33 securedtothe inrier shait 30 is simply a cylindrical plug or disk, preferably alittle rounded at'its upper edge so as to move freely up in the tile asit; is being formed. The other part secured to the tubular shaltcomprises an angular head 34 and one or more fiat and curved wings 35which are preferably slightly flexible and'ih practice arobest made ofsteel, tempered to give a ,little elasticity. These wings are fastenedto the head by cap screws 36 through slots 37 and are thus adapted to beadjusted very nicely, both to give the proper'external diameteroriginally and also to take up any wear due to the abrasion oi thematerial in use. The ractical dperation of this head is illustrated inFig. 4, the head being here represented in the act of coming out, or inother words, with the mold descending. It will be understood that thisaction takes place simultaneously with the revolution of the head, andduring the operation the plastic material which is thrown in on top ofthe head when the latter is at the bottom of the mold, is thrownoutwardly to the walls of the mold by the rapid revolution of the wingedpart and plastered against said walls much as a workmans trowel woulddo. The finishing follower head 33 also revolves, but at a differentspeed, (preferably slower than the winged part) and in its action servesto smooth and finish to a fine surface the interior of the tile. It willbe evident from the mechanism shown in Fig. 1 that the rotation of thehead is quite rapid as compared withthe raising and lowering of the moldand its connected parts.

The annular pallet or rim 38 is shown mounted on the guides for thecross-head with coil springs 38 interposed between them; these springsserve to throw up the pallet when disengaged, as shown in Fig. 2. Whenin operative position it is locked down upon the mold, over which itshuts neatly, as shown in Fig. 4 as by a hook 39 engaging a shoulder 40.This hook is provided with a short arm 4] adapted to abut upon the bedplate when the cross-head is nearly depressed. A spring. 42 throws thehook into engagement. In prac tice advantage is taken of the interval oftime when the forming head is above the mold in which to engage anddisengage this hookand also to shift the mold carrier. The lattermovement is effected by means of a lever 43 pivoted at 44 and engagingby a suitable roll 45 and cam 4.6 mounted on a shaft 47; this shaft isdriven at one-halt-the speed of the shaft 20 and by means of sprockets24 and 48 and a sprocket chain 49. The ca'm itself is best shown in Fig.3 and is made to shift the lever in both directions as indicated;moving, as it does, at one-half the speed of the upper shaft, it isevident that these cam faces successively operate the cam alternatelyand in time with the vertical movement of the mold cross-head, as abovementioned. Y

Referring to Fig. 5 it will be noted that the pallet plate is cut out ateach side of the middle part, this be ing for convenience of theoperator in putting in and taking out the mold.

Theforming head is not only adapted to perform its work veryefficiently, producing a smooth, compact and highly finished tile, butas before mentioned it is adapted to be adjusted to take up for wear andso preserve perfec-t uniformity in the tile. This is a great advantagein practice, inasmuch as it has been found that heads for this purposeformed of solid material are, by the attrition of the abrasive materialof the concrete, rendered useless in a very short time.

One of the more important uses of the solid portion of the forming-headis to serve asa table to receive the charge of plastic material asdcpositedjnithemold. This charge, as will be evidcnt,is taken by thewinged part of the head and by combined centrifugal and -the material iscontinuously wiped off the solid head and thrown outwardly against thewalls of the mold. This not only uses up all of the charge, but preventsii'ny portion thereof escaping downwardly and lodging ssaesr in thecarrier-plate which supports themold. In case there should be an excessof material in the charge, this solid follower carries up such surplusand this, by the rotation of the wiug,'aiter passing up through thepallet-plate is thrown outwardly and deposited in a ring thereon.

It will be noted by reference to Fig. 1 thatthe mold and its connectionshas a vertical reciprocating action, whereas the lever which slides themold carrier back and forth simply swings sid'ewise. This makes itnecessary to extend the lever upwardly so that engagement with the moldcarrier is not broken when it is moved up and down, as otherwise mighthappen through vibration or the like. This connection is very simple,comprising a pair of pins or lugs 50 straddling a simple post 51 runningup from the irceend oi the lever -13. This post need not necessarily bevery stiff,

is done when at the bottom oiits movement.

Having thus described my invention 1 claim:

1. In a tile machine, a forming-head for the interior ol. the tilecomposed of two or more parts revolving at diflfcrcut speeds.

2. In a tile machine, the combination of an external mold and aforming-head composed of two or morc pnrts revolving at differentspeeds.

3. In a tile machine, the combination of a mold-carrier,

the mold fitted therein, and a head composed of two or more pal-tsrevolving at different speeds. 4. In a tile machine, the combination ofa mold, a bot tom plat-c therefor an annular top ring or pallet and aforming-head for the inside, composed of two or more parts, revolving atdifferent speeds.

5. A forming-head for a tile machine. composed of a smoothsurfaced'linishing portion and'a winged part concentric therewith, thetwo parts of the head revolving at different speeds.

6. A forming-head for the interior of tile, comprisinga solid,cylindrical plug or disk and a winged head mounted adjacent thereto andconcentric therewith, the wings of said head being adjustable to take upfor wear or the like.

7. A forming-head for the interior of tile, composed of a smoothsurfaced cylindrical part and a separate head mounted adjacent theretoand concentric therewith and provided with one or more tangcntialcurvedand slightly flexible wines.

8. In a tile machine, a head substantially as described,

comprising a" smooth cylindrical finishingpart and an adjacent headmounted concentric therewith and adapted to revolve at a different speedand having one or more curved tangential and adjustable wings. I

9. In a tile machine, the combination of a mold for the exterior of thetile and revoiving head adapted to form the mold thereof, a bottom plateor carrier for the mold, an annular top ring or pallet therefor andmechanism adapted J revolve the formingdiead and to slowly withdraw orretract the mold therefrom.

10. In a tile machine, the combination of an external mold, a lowersupport therefor, a pallet or annular ring "for the top thereof, with abore corresponding to the bore of the finished tile, :1 forming-head forthe inside of the tile, means for revolving said forming-mad, means forretracting the mold during the revolution of said head, a lock to holdthe top plate in position during the forming of the tile and mechanismto release said lock and allow the top plate to lift on the completionof the tile.

1 1. In a tile machine, the combination of a forminglicad correspondingto the bore of the finished tile, a mold corresponding to the exteriorof the tile, a carrier plate to support said mold, a verticallyreciprocating cross-head to support the carrier-plate and meanssubstantially as described to move said carrier-plate alternately fromside to side on the completion of a tile.

12. In a'tile machine, the combination with mechanism substantially asdescribed to form the tile, a. carrier for amps? the tile mold, :1cross-head adapted to move the same up and down, an oscillating leverengaging said carrier and a (mu: adapted t shift said lever alternatelyon the conr pletion of a tile. 123. In :1 tile machine the combinationwith tile forming mechanism substantially as described of :1 tile meldcarrier. a lever adapted to shift the same alternately from side toside, the said lever being extended upwardly to be in engngement withSillil carrier as the latter moves up and 1 down, and means for shiftingsaid lever alternately. 14. In an organized tile machine, thecombination 0f :1 vertically recipr ocnting mold for theoutsiile oil thetile,

a revolving-head adapted to form the inside thereotlevers and connectinglinks adapted to move the mold up and down, cranks connecting with saidlevers and driving mechanism substantially as described to revolve theforming-head and to slowly iqise and lower said mold.

In testimony'wliercof I aflix my signature in presence 01" twowitnesses.

GEORGE FERGUSON.

Witnesses.

E. COOLXUGE, H. BICKLEY.

